Dressed as Japanese Imperial Army soldiers, members of the China Unification Promotion Party yesterday demonstrated outside Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) headquarters in Taipei, accusing the DPP of “brainwashing” students with pro-Japan curricula.
“We want to thank the DPP for educating the children in Taiwan to love our Empire of Japan. This is something that our own Japanese kids would not do, and something we could not force the Taiwanese to do in our 50 years of Japanizing education,” a man dressed up as a Japanese Imperial Army commander said through a loudspeaker, with a Japanese accent. “Therefore, we are here to present our certificate of gratitude to the DPP today.”
Holding a “certificate of gratitude,” the protesters declared that they would sing a Japanese military song before entering the building, but what they sang instead was the Japanese children’s song Momotaro-san, or “The Peach Boy,” eliciting laughter from both members of the media and DPP staff.
Photo: CNA
However, when the DPP declined to accept the certificate, the protesters attempted to force their way in, and briefly clashed with the police.
“What you are doing now is in violation of the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法). If you try to force your way into the building again, we will arrest you,” Zhongzheng First Precinct Chief Chang Chi-wen (張奇文) said through a loudspeaker.
Former gang leader and China Unification Promotion Party chairman Chang An-le (張安樂) — better known by his Bamboo Union nickname “White Wolf” — later appeared to talk to the media about the demonstration.
“The protesters dressed up in Japanese Imperial Army uniforms to mock the education under former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) and the DPP, which ‘poisoned’ the students with pro-Japan curricula,” Chang said. “And this is why the curriculum guidelines must be changed.”
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-wong effective from 5:30pm, while local governments canceled school and work for tomorrow. A land warning is expected to be issued tomorrow morning before it is expected to make landfall on Wednesday, the agency said. Taoyuan, and well as Yilan, Hualien and Penghu counties canceled work and school for tomorrow, as well as mountainous district of Taipei and New Taipei City. For updated information on closures, please visit the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration Web site. As of 5pm today, Fung-wong was about 490km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan's southernmost point.
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
Almost a quarter of volunteer soldiers who signed up from 2021 to last year have sought early discharge, the Legislative Yuan’s Budget Center said in a report. The report said that 12,884 of 52,674 people who volunteered in the period had sought an early exit from the military, returning NT$895.96 million (US$28.86 million) to the government. In 2021, there was a 105.34 percent rise in the volunteer recruitment rate, but the number has steadily declined since then, missing recruitment targets, the Chinese-language United Daily News said, citing the report. In 2021, only 521 volunteers dropped out of the military, the report said, citing
Nearly 5 million people have signed up to receive the government’s NT$10,000 (US$322) universal cash handout since registration opened on Wednesday last week, with deposits expected to begin tomorrow, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. After a staggered sign-up last week — based on the final digit of the applicant’s national ID or Alien Resident Certificate number — online registration is open to all eligible Taiwanese nationals, foreign permanent residents and spouses of Taiwanese nationals. Banks are expected to start issuing deposits from 6pm today, the ministry said. Those who completed registration by yesterday are expected to receive their NT$10,000 tomorrow, National Treasury
RSS